Rail spring and method of making the same



Dec. 1, 1925- W. J. COSTELLO, JR

RAIL SPRING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Jan. 16 1925 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM J'. COSTELLO, JR., OF OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO VERONA TOOL WORKS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OEI'ENNSYL- VANIA.

RAIL SPRING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed January To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. CosrEnLo,

J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakmont, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Rail Springs and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. V

The present invention relates broadly to rail springs, and more particularly to springs of that class generally referred to as the leaf type, it being designed to provide an improved spring bridging at least two bolts for holding splice bars inthe desired position by yielding pressure and at the same time take up wear and reduce battering of the rail ends. I

I am aware that heretofore it has been 10 roposed, as shown for example in Patents 4 No. 1,416,152 issued May 16, 1922, and No.

1,443,160 issued January 23, 1923, to

Emanuel VVoodings, to provide rail springs having a compound longitudinal curvature with enclosed bolt-receiving openings ad- A jacent each end thereof. The present invention, although not limited to springs of this construction, has for one ofits specific objects improvements in springs of this type for the purpose of so construct ng the j rail springs that they will serve not only the functions referred to but also the functions of. a nut lock tending to prevent any loosening of the nuts utilized for holding the splice bars in position."

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown for purposes of illustration only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of the invention as changes in the constructionand operation therein disclosed may be made without departing either from the spirit ofjthe invention or scope of my broader claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved rail spring embodying the present invention, and v .Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View a through a rail with assembled splice bars showing my improved spring in position 16, 1925. Serial No. 2,866.

a rail spring may advantageously be utilized which is formed of rolled spring steel and so shaped as to provide both a longitudinal and a transverse curvature, although if do sired, the transverse curvature may beomitted. The longitudinal curvatureis preferably of a compound character, providing a central portion 2 projecting inwardly and adapted to first contact with the side of one of the splice bars, and side portions 3 extending outwardly fromthe central portion and then preferably inwardly to a greater or less extent adjacent the ends, in a reverse curve. The spring is also preferably curved transversely so that its inner surface next to the splice bar '4 is slightly concave, While the outer pondingly convex.

surface I is corres- .Experience has shown th a rail spring of this character the greatest inward bend longitudinally of the springshould be at approximately its center as shown whereby in the initial application of the spring and before tightening of the parts'in. position'the ends are in slightly spaced re-' lation to the sides'of the splice'bars. The longitudinal curving of the spring may also be such that when tightened in use it will take a partial permanent set by carrying the metal past the elastic limit in straightening. With such a construction, whenthe spring is taken off, it does not return to its original shape, but assumes a configuration betweenv such original shape and the shape assumed when is use. This has been found to add materially in giving the spring its desired characteristics in holding the splice bars firmly in position and reducing batteringof the rail ends. f

The form of the spring illustrated" in Figure 1 is ofa length greater than the distance between two adjacent bolt holes in the splice bars with which it is to be used, and is formed with enclosed holes 5 adjacent its ends, these holes being formed in the side portions 3- -3 between thecentral in-' Ward bend and the reversely bent ends and preferably at the crown or high point of such reverse bends. As shown in Figure 1, the openings are elongated, to permit relative movement with respect to the bolts, 6 which are passed therethrough. Such movement occurs during the tightening of the nuts 7 it being apparent thatby this operation the ring is partially flattened andthereby elongated. It will be understood that the initial positioning of the holes 5 is such that when the spring. is first applied the bolts will eiitend adjacent the outer ends of the openings whereby the spring is free to elongate as set forth.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that under the action of the rolling stock passing over the rail joints.

' the-rail ends, the splice bars, the springs and the retaining'bolts' are all subjected at the joints to severe usage. The action of the rolling stock tends to batter down not only the heads of the splice bars but also to batter down and Wear away the under surface of the head of the rail in contact therewith. This soon provides room forplay between the rails and the splice bars permitting the same to moveslightly one with respect to While this movement is to a, considerable extent, and in a highly satisfactory manner, prevented by the action of the spring herein disclosed, it will be understood that the tendency-t0 move is such 1 as to tend to effect looseningvof the nuts7.

wherebyto provi order to maintain the track in the desired state of repair it is essential to prevent loose'ningof the nut 7. At the same time, it is not desirable from a practical standpoint to utilize separate nut locks with the springs. I have'found that the spring itself may be constructed to serve the dual function of a nut lock and spring byspl itting theends as indicated in Figure 1 to form separate projections 8 and 9 on each end of the spring, similar projections preferably-being on diagonally opposite corners. After the springs have been slit, preferably alonglines slightly above or below the center of the corresponding opening 5, to. form rejections of unequal sizes, the smaller of these two projections, herein designated by the reference character 9, I are bent out of the lane of theprojections 8 5e oppositely disposed projectingshoul'ders or teeth 10 on the outer face of the spring. clearly apparent from the showing of Figure 2 these shouldersare. such that they will engagethe under side of a nut 7 and tend to effectively bite into the same to prevent rotation thereof in. such direction as to back the nut nan the ten. Where the spring is initially formed with transverse curvature, the action of the biting'teeth 10 is made more effestive as they lie substantially in the plane of the highest portion of the bar thereby insuring contact at all times with the under side of a nut. here, however, the transverse curvature is omitted, the bending of one of the projections out of the plane of the other projection provides a tooth which eifectively serves to prevent loosening of the nuts.

The advantages of the present invention arise from the'provision of a "rail "spring adapted to serve the combined function of a spring and nut lock.

I claim:

I l. A rail joint spring shaped to cooperate with adjacent rail bolts, said spring having at least one end thereof shaped to effectively resist loosening of a nut while permitting relatively free movement of the nutin the opposite direction to tighten the same, sub:- stantially as described.

2. A rail joint spring shaped to extend,

lengthwise of a rail and cooperate with adjacent rail bolts, said spring having an integral portion of the metal displaced adjacent one end to forma nut engaging tooth, substantially as described.

3. Arail joint spring shaped to cooperwith adjacent bolts, said spring having divided endportions forming projections one of which is disposed out of the plane of the body of the spring to form anut engaging tooth, substantially as described.

, 5. A rail joint spring longitudinal curvature bifurcated end portions adapted to cooperate with spaced bolts, one of the bifurcations in each end being disposed out of the plane of the other bifurcation to form a nut engaging tooth, substantially asdescribed.

6 rail spring having both longitudinal and transverse curvatures, and provided near its ends with enclosed bolt holes, the body of the metal beyond said holes being slit to form a nut engaging tooth, substantially as described.

7 A'rail spring having both longitudinal and transverse curvatures, and provided near its ends withenclosed bolt holes, the body of the metal beyond said holes being slit to form projections one of which is disposed out of the plane. of the other projection to form a nut lock, substantially as described.

8. A longitudinally curved rail spring adapted to be forced against the surface, of a splice bar, said spring having elongatedenclosed bolt holes in its ends and having and provided 7 with having a compound.

integral nut engaging ineans adjacent each ing in the opposite direction, substantially jacent each of said holes, said means comas described. prising a tooth displaced out of the plane 9. A longitudinally curved rail spring of the body of the spring, substantially as 10 adapted to be forced against the surface of a described. splice bar, said spring having elongated en- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set closed bolt holes in its ends and having inby hand. tegral nut engaging and locking means ad- WVILLIAM J. COSTELLO, JR. 

